The Robots of Death (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{|border=2 align=right
{{Infobox TV|
|+ '''The Robots of Death'''
story name= The Robots of Death |
| '''Season:''' || [[Season 14|14]]
image=[[Image:RobotsOfDeath2.jpg|250px]] |
|-
series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[TV stories|TV Stories]] |
| '''Doctor:''' || [[Fourth Doctor]]
number=  |
|-
doctor=[[Fourth Doctor]] |
| '''Companion''' || [[Leela]]
companions= [[Leela]]|
|-
enemy= [[Taren Capel]] |
| '''Original Airdate:''' || [[29th January]] - [[19th February]] [[1977]]
year= Far future |
|-
writer= [[Chris Boucher]] |
| '''Format:''' || 4 25-minute episodes
director= [[Michael Briant]] |
|-
producer= [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] |
| '''Production Code:''' || 4R
broadcast date= [[29th January]] -<br/> [[19th February]] [[1977]] |
|-
format= 4 25-minute Episodes |
| '''Writer:''' || [[Chris Boucher]]
production code= 4R }}
|-
| '''Director:''' || [[Michael Briant]]
|-
| '''Producer:''' || [[Philip Hinchcliffe]]
|-
|}


The [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Leela]] land in the cargo hopper of a [[Sandminer]], whose crew are being murdered one by one. Suspicion falls on the two visitors, but they are freed by [[Poul]]. He reveals that he is an undercover policeman sent to locate a mad roboticist named [[Taren Capel]], whom he believes to have infiltrated the Sandminer. Unfortunately, Poul suffers a nervous breakdown upon learning that the murders are being committed by robots reprogrammed by Capel. It is revealed that Capel has assumed the guise of [[Dask]], the ship's engineer. However, the Doctor manages to trick the robots into killing him.
 
== Summary ==
 
The [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Leela]] land in the cargo hopper of a [[Sandminer]], whose crew are being murdered one by one. Suspicion falls on the two visitors, but they are freed by [[Poul]]. He reveals that he is an undercover [[policeman]] sent to locate a mad roboticist named [[Taren Capel]], whom he believes to have infiltrated the Sandminer. Unfortunately, Poul suffers a nervous breakdown upon learning that the murders are being committed by [[robot]]s reprogrammed by Capel. It is revealed that Capel has assumed the guise of [[Dask]], the ship's engineer. However, the Doctor manages to trick the robots into killing Dask by using [[helium]] to alter the madman's voice, so the robots don't recognize him..




Revision as of 17:26, 19 November 2005


Summary

The Fourth Doctor and Leela land in the cargo hopper of a Sandminer, whose crew are being murdered one by one. Suspicion falls on the two visitors, but they are freed by Poul. He reveals that he is an undercover policeman sent to locate a mad roboticist named Taren Capel, whom he believes to have infiltrated the Sandminer. Unfortunately, Poul suffers a nervous breakdown upon learning that the murders are being committed by robots reprogrammed by Capel. It is revealed that Capel has assumed the guise of Dask, the ship's engineer. However, the Doctor manages to trick the robots into killing Dask by using helium to alter the madman's voice, so the robots don't recognize him..


Cast

The Doctor - Tom Baker

Leela - Louise Jameson

Uvanov - Russel Hunter

Toos - Pamela Salem

Dask/Taren Capel - David Bailie

Chub - Rob Edwards

Borg - Brian Croucher

Cass - Tariq Yunus

Poul - David Collins

Zilda - Tania Rogers

SV7 - Miles Fothergill

D84 - Gregory de Polnay

Robots - Mark Blackwell Baker, John Bleasdale, Mark Cooper, Peter Langtry, Jeremy Ranchev, Richard Seager

Uncredited Cast

Crew

Producer - Philip Hinchcliffe

Script Editor - Robert Holmes

Writer - Chris Boucher

Directors - Michael E Briant, Peter Grimwade

Designer - Kenneth Sharp

Costume - Elizabeth Waller

Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson

Enemies

Taren Capel posing as Dask, and his reprogrammed robots.

Story Notes

This is one of the few stories to include an attempt by the Doctor to explain the TARDIS's dimensionally transcendent status, using an analogy involving two different-sized boxes.

Myths

Statistics

Broadcast Dates

Episode 1 - 29th January 1977, 6:20-6:45

Episode 2 - 5th February 1977, 6:30-6:55

Episode 3 - 12th February 1977, 6:20-6:45

Episode 4 - 19th February 1977, 6:25-6:50

Duration

4 half-hour episodes.


Ratings

Continuity

  • This episode is the last one in which the wood-panelled TARDIS control room appears.
  • The characters from this episode reappear in several of Chris Boucher's later novels, starting with Corpse Marker, and continuing in the Kaldor City spinoffs.

Cultural References

  • The Doctor claims that it is aerodynamically impossible for bumblebees to fly.


Influences

  • This story was obviously based on Isaac Asimov's Robot mysteries, such as I, Robot. In particular, the human/robot police duo Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw from Caves of Steel and its sequels may be the inspiration for the Poul/D84 pair. Promiment mention is made of Asimov's First Law of Robotics: "A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm."
  • Another inspiration for the story was Agatha Christie's novel, Ten Little Indians, in which several people on an island are murdered one by one.
  • The Sandminer setting is based on Frank Herbert's Dune.

Location Filming

Quotes

"Please do not throw hands at me!" - D84

Story Arcs

Errors and Plot Holes

More Info


External Links


Television

Previous story:
The Face of Evil 		Next story:
The Talons of Weng-Chiang


All Media

Previous story:
The Face of Evil 		Next story:
Drift
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